Ochsner Medical Center

About: Ochsner Medical Center is a healthcare organization based out in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Heart failure. The organization has 980 authors who have published 1159 publications receiving 49961 citations. The organization is also known as: Ochsner Hospital & Ochsner Foundation Hospital.

Personal health technology: A new era in cardiovascular disease prevention

Abstract: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide yet the majority of related risk factors are largely preventable (primary prevention [PP]) and effectively treatable (secondary prevention [SP]) with healthy lifestyle behaviors. The use of information and communication technology (ICT) offers a unique approach to personal health and CVD prevention, as these mediums are relatively affordable, approachable, and accessible. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of ICT-driven personal health technologies and their potential role in promoting and supporting self-care behaviors for PP and SP of CVD. In this review, we focus on technological interventions that have been successful at supporting positive behavior change in order to determine which tools, resources, and methods are most appropriate for delivering interventions geared towards CVD prevention. We conducted a literature search from a range of sources including scholarly, peer-reviewed journal articles indexed in PubMed and CINAHL, gray literature, and reputable websites and other Internet-based media. A synthesis of existing literature indicates that the overall efficacy of ICT-driven personal health technologies is largely determined by: 1) the educational resources provided and the extent to which the relayed information is customized or individually tailored; and 2) the degree of self-monitoring and levels of personalized feedback or other interactions (e.g. interpersonal communications). We conclude that virtually all the technological tools and resources identified (e.g. Internet-based communications including websites, weblogs and wikis, mobile devices and applications, social media, and wearable monitors) can be strategically leveraged to enhance self-care behaviors for CVD risk reduction and SP but further research is needed to evaluate their efficacy, cost-effectiveness, and long-term maintainability.

Vascular responses to nitrite are mediated by xanthine oxidoreductase and mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase in the rat.

Abstract: Sodium nitrite has been shown to have vasodilator activity in experimental animals and in human subjects. However, the mechanism by which nitrite anion is converted to vasoactive nitric oxide (NO) is uncertain. It has been hypothesized that deoxyhemoglobin, xanthine oxidoreductase, mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase, and other heme proteins can reduce nitrite to NO, but studies in the literature have not identified the mechanism in the intact rat, and several studies report no effect of inhibitors of xanthine oxidoreductase. In the present study, the effects of the xanthine oxidoreductase inhibitor allopurinol and the mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitor cyanamide on decreases in mean systemic arterial pressure in response to i.v. sodium nitrite administration were investigated in the rat. The decreases in mean systemic arterial pressure in response to i.v. administration of sodium nitrite were inhibited in a selective manner after administration of allopurinol in a dose of 25 mg/kg i.v. A sec...

High-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and prognosis in advanced heart failure.

Abstract: Background High-density lipoproteins (HDLs) influence the generation of prostacyclin via cyclooxygenase stimulation. Prostaglandins represent an important compensatory pathway in advanced heart failure (HF). Whether HDL levels discriminate prognosis in HF remains unknown. Methods We prospectively evaluated the prognostic relationship of HDL levels in severe HF by examining 132 consecutive patients listed for heart transplantation (52 ± 11 years of age, 80% men, 79% white, mean follow-up 18 months). Using population mean HDL levels (HDL n = 47] vs ≥33 mg/dl [ n = 85]), patients were grouped and followed for the primary composite end-points of HF hospitalizations or death, stratified by underlying etiology (non-ischemic, n = 52; ischemic, n = 80). Results Patients with HDL p = 0.008), higher total bilirubin (1.3 vs 0.7 mg/dl, p p = 0.048) levels, but similar serum creatinine compared with the ≥33 mg/dl HDL group. Survival analysis, using a Cox proportional hazards model, revealed reduced HDL ( Conclusions Lower HDL levels correlate with adverse prognosis independent of etiology and predict clinical worsening or death in advanced HF. Further study is warranted as to whether these findings represent a clinical marker or suggest a potential therapeutic target.

Quality assessment and improvement in interventional cardiology: a position statement of the Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, part 1: standards for quality assessment and improvement in interventional cardiology.

Abstract: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) improves quality of life and survival in certain clinical settings [1]. These benefits are counterbalanced by the procedural risks. To encourage quality patient care, each PCI program must evaluate its performance through a meaningful continuous quality improvement (CQI) process. The ACC/AHA/SCAI 2005 PCI guideline update, as well as the newly implemented SCAI/ACC catheterization laboratory accreditation program, Accreditation for Cardiovascular Excellence (ACE), requires a CQI program for every health care facility in which PCI is performed [2]. CQI is an iterative method to evaluate operational approaches and remedy deficiencies [3]. The primary emphasis in CQI is on evaluating the overall program structure, processes, and outcomes of care; however, specific operator performance assessed by peer review is highly desirable. The Federal Health Care Improvement Act of 1986 recognized the importance of these programs by protecting participants and their deliberations. The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Intervention (SCAI) has previously published guidelines to develop a framework for these activities in the catheterization laboratory [4,5]. This statement is Rush Medical College, Chicago, Illinois Central Arkansas Veterans Health System and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, MS Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina Ochsner Medical Center, New Orleans, Louisiana St. Vincent Hospital, Worcester, Massachusetts University of California, Irvine Medical Center, Irvine, California University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas